Magnifying picture viewing device



SePt- 5, 1950 o. J. ALVAREZ 2,521,558

MAGNIFYING PICTURE VIEWING DEVICE Filed Feb. l20, 1946 ege og@ ag s 00401121@ gua/ Mii MAGNIFriNo,I PICTURE vIEvvfNe DEVICE Octavio J ose Alvarez, New York, N. assignor to Alvarez Patent Corporation, New York, N. Y.

Application February 20, 1946, Serial No. 649,007

" My present invention relates to viewing de- 'I vide a. viewing device constructed so as to create by simple optical means a frame-like effec around the picture to be observed.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a viewing device which has a stereoscopic effect, i. e; which is built so'as to give the observed pictures a 'three dimensional appearance. Y f i i` e Still further object of` my present invention consists in means which permit attachment of the pictureto 'be viewed to the viewing device in a simple and easy manner. f I

Another object of my present invention consists in a viewing device which is extremely simple in construction and easy to manufacture.v

The novel features which I consider as characteristic for my invention are lset forth in. 'particular in the appended claims. f The invention itself, howeveiboth as` to its'construction and its methodY of operation, together with additionalv objects .andiadvantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments Whenread in connection with the 'accom anying drawings, in which:4V Fig. 1 is 'an exploded side view 0f a viewing device of the typeiproposed by'me.`

Fig. 2 is across-section through the viewing 'l device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 'is a'perspective view of the lens member forming part' ofthe viewing device shown inFigsLlandZ; w f i Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fastening. clamp member formingpart'of the viewing device shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 is a front view of the viewing device shown in Fig. l, seen in direction of arrow 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is -a modified embodiment of a lens member; and

Fig. 7 is an front view of a viewing device embodying a lens member of the type shown in Fig. 6. A g

As shown inFig. ll, the lens member IB has the Ashape of a truncated square pyramid. VrThis 1611s member has a spherical outwardly curved frontpface'll which serves as lens face,l'a flat rear face I2, and four flat side faces I3, I4,]I,5 and i6. As clearly shown, the spherical. lens face II is substantially larger than the rear face I2.

It should be notedthat only the faces II and 4 claims. (c1. io- 154) I2 are transparent, while all vside faces I3, I4, I5 and I6 have a translucent preferably ground surface. f

For securing the picture I'I'to the transparent rear'face I2 of the lens member Ill, I providefin the side faces of this member a continuous groove I8arranged parallel tothe rear face I2 'at a slight distance from the same. Furthermore, I provide the fastening member I9 which consists of a fiat pressure member 20 provided along'its edgeswith four clamps 2|, 22, l23 and 24. These clamps are adapted to engage the groove I8 as clearly shown inFig'. 2 and to hold the picture I7 in'contact with the rear face I2 of the viewing member Iii pressed against the same.

A viewing device of the typel described above' has; when observed in direction of arrow 5 of Fig-1 the appearance shownA in Fig. 5. As shown in this-figure, the picture I'I which itself does not form part of the present invention, is

surrounded by groove I8 and the four side faces I3, I4, I5 and IS of the lens member I0: The groove I8 appears as a separate continuous frame 'molding while the four sidev faces I3, I4, I5 and I6 ofthe viewing member appear as four frame boards surrounding the picture I'I. 1

It should be stressed that this frame hasa threeV dimensional appearance, i. e. creates the impression that the picture is actually surrounded by a frame. Furthermore, the picture I 'l itself 'when viewed through such a viewing device has also a three dimensional appearance.-

The viewing device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is very similar to the one shown in Figs. 1 to 5. j

The only difference is that the side faces I3, I4,

. I5 and IB of the viewing member are provided` with two ornamental strips, namely the flower design strip 251andthe uniformly colored translucent strip v26. When viewed from the front, these two strips appear as parts of the frame,

as clearly shown in Fig. '7.

I Wish to kstress that as shown in Figs. land 2, my'new viewing device has the advantage that noseparate supporting means are necessary for holding itin proper viewing position: it can be placed on any fiat support in such a manner that it is supported directly by the side face I 6 of the viewing member I0 and one` of the edgesof the fastening member I9. f

Furthermore, it'should be stressed that the rear face I2 of the lens member need not be square shaped, but it mighthave the shape of a rectangle. lIn* this event, it is-possible to use pic-t turesof different size: if theheight of the picture to be viewed is greater than its width,v the- PATENT OFFICE# j viewing device Will be placed on the support so as to be supported by one of the faces I4 or I6; if the width of the picture to be viewed is greater than its height, the viewing device is simply turned by 90 and is supported by one of the side faces I3 or l5.

It should be stressed that it is of course also possible to provide in viewing devices of the type proposedby me lens members of other shapes, e. g. lens members having the shape of a trianguiar truncated pyramid or lens members having the shape of a truncated cone.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also nd a useful application for other types of viewing devices differing from the types described above.

While I have illustrated and described the invention as embodied in viewing devices for pictures and similar purposes, I do not intend to be limited to the 'details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any Way from the spirit of my invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully revealthe gist of my invention thatbthers can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications Without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specic aspects of this invention and therefore, such adaptations should and are intended; to kbe comprehended` within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by' LettersPatent is:

1. A viewing device comprising in combination a lens member having the shape of a truncated four-sided pyramid and having a curved bottom face serving as image enlarging element, a flat top face serving as picture supporting element, four tapered side faces tapered towardsaid flat top face of said lens member and creating-when viewed through said curved bottom face--the optical impression of a four-sided frame sur-rounding a picture arranged in Contact with saidtoprface, the length of each of the tapered edges formed by said four tapered side faces oi said lens member being substantially equal to the diameter of said fiat top face; a r

taining plate and extending along the edge of the same so as to be adapted to engage said continuous retaining groove in said side faces of said lens member so as to hold the picture placed between said dat retaining plate of said picture holding member and said flat top face of said lens member in contact with the latter.

2. A viewing device comprising in combination alensmember having the shape of a truncated four-sided pyramid and having a curved bottom face serving as imageenlarging element, a `ilat top face serving as picture supportingelement, and four tapered side faces tapering towardsaid ilat top face of said lens member and creating-when viewed through said curved bottom face-the optical impression of a four-sided .frame surrounding a picture arranged in contact with said iiat top face, the length of each of the tapered edges formed by said four tapered side faces off said lens member being substantially equal to the diameter of said fiat top face; and a picture holding member composed of a ilat retaining plate having substantially the shape of said ilat top face and a clamping projection surrounding said flat retaining plate and extending along the edge of the same so as to be adapted to be clamped upon the side faces of said lens member so as to hold a picture placed between said yflat retaining plate vof said picture holding member and said flat top face of rsaid lens member in Contact with the latter.

v3. A viewing device comprising in combination a lens member having the shape of a truncated four-sided pyramid and having a curved bottom face serving as image enlarging element, a at top face serving as picture supporting element, and four. tapered side faces tapering toward said ilat top face of said lens member and creating-when viewed through said curved bottom facethe optical impression of a four-sided framesurrounding a picture arranged in Contact with said'` iiat top face; a continuous retaining groove in said side faces of said lens member parallel to and at a slight distance from said flat top face; and a. picture holding member composed of a ilat retaining plate having substantially the shape of said iiat top: face and a clamping projection surrounding said flat retaining plate andA extending along the edge of the same so as to be adapted to engage said continuous retaining groove in` said side facesk of said lens member so as to hold a picture placed between said iiat retainingxplate ofV said picture holding member and said. flat top4 face of said lens member in contact with the latter.

4. A viewing device comprisingV in combination a lens member having the shape of atrimcated four-sided pyramid andl having a curved bottom face serving as image enlarging element, a at top face serving as picture supporting element, andfour tapered sideY faces tapering toward said fiat top face of said lens member and creating-when viewed through said cuwed bottom face-the optical impression of` a four-sided frame surrounding-a picture arranged in contact with said iiat top face; and' a picture holding member composed of a flat retaining plate having substantially the shape of said flat top face and a clamping projection surrounding said dat retaining plate and extending along the edge ot the same so asto be adaptedrto be clamped. upon the side faces of said lens member so as to hold a picture placed between said flat retaining plate of said picture holding member and said fiat top face of said lens member in contact with the latter. f

i OCTAVIO JOSE ALVAREZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number Name Date D. 137,475 Morehead Mar. 14, 1944 357,689 Porrera Feb. 14, 1887 862,699 Bierlein et al Aug. 6, 1907 912,329 Sterrick Feb. 16, 1909 1,220,418 Hawkes Mar. 27, 1917 1,415,511 Bauschl May 9, 1922 1,469,036 DavisonA Sept. 25, 1923 1,543,870 Prange June 20, 1925 l1,561,730 Kodama Nov. 17, 1925 1,777,859 Reckcr Oct. 7, 1930 (Other references on'foliowing page)I UNI'IED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date 231761535 1,363,633 Melina Mar. 29, 1931 2,220,038

1,913,243 Bergand July 18, 1933 21340421 1,957,263 Gray May 1, 1934 5 2420021 2,057,807 Whitmore oct. 2o, 193s 2,427,870

2,096,524 Martin oct. 19, 1937 2,107,720 Swander Feb. 8, 1938 2,145,071 cave 3511.24, 1939 Nunif 2,151,573 stanley Mar.21, 1939 10 421620 2,156,351 Paul May 21, 1939 Name Date Markoff Oct. 17, 1939 Kreisler et al. Oct. 29, 1940 Obrist May 1, 1941 Straubel et a1. May 6, 1947 Mitchell Sept. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 13, 1890 Great Britain Dec.`27, 1934 

